Power electronics devices are often utilized in high-power electrical applications, such as inverter systems for hybrid electric vehicles and electric vehicles. Power semiconductor devices such as power IGBTs and power transistors, for example, may be thermally coupled to a cooling structure (e.g., a heat spreader and/or a heat sink), to remove non-uniform heat fluxes generated by the power semiconductor devices. Operation of the power semiconductor devices may generate high thermal loads. Power semiconductor devices are demanding increased thermal management performance of cooling structures.
Some cooling structures may use fans to increase airflow toward the power semiconductor device to cool the power semiconductor by forced convection. Most systems utilize electrical motor coupled with fan blades or propellers to generate airflow. However, such electrical motors may have many moving parts and may be inefficient.
Accordingly, a need exists for alternative cooling apparatuses, electronic device assemblies, and cooling assemblies that have a linear actuator with increased strain and energy density to efficiently generate airflow toward a heat generating device.